Records

Referees

Crew Chief

CHRISTODOULOU, CHRISTOS, Greece

Referee

RADOVIC, SRETEN, Croatia

Umpire

ZAMOJSKI, JAKUB, Poland

The Take

Two classic Turkish Airlines Euroleague teams meet again in the Russian capital, where CSKA Moscow faces Zalgiris Kaunas on Friday. CSKA ranks third in Top 16 Group E with a 7-3 record and Zalgiris is sixth at 4-5. CSKA topped Zalgiris 73-87 in Top 16 Game 4, as Milos Teodosic contributed 24 points. Zalgiris, however, has beaten CSKA twice in the VTB League this season. Above all, two sports archrivals with great tradition battle again in a pivotal showdown in Group E.

Stopping Teodosic, of course, will be a priority for Zalgiris. It will not be an easy task, however, as Teodosic has been playing as the highest level throughout the Top 16, averaging 17 points and 5.3 assists. Coach Ettore Messina has other options at point guard, such as Euroleague legend Theo Papaloukas and lightning quick playmaker Aaron Jackson. Teodosic must be ready to make the most out of his creativity against hard-nosed defender Oliver Lafayette. Jackson and Papaloukas face a difficult matchup against Donnie McGrath, a good scorer with great court sense. There are some good news for CSKA, as Viktor Khryapa returned to action this weekend and is ready to face Zalgiris. Khryapa offers his all-around game and rock-solid defense to a deep frontline that also features Nenad Krstic, Sasha Kaun and Andrey Vorontsevich. Krstic and Kaun face a tough challenge against two big-sized centers like Robertas Javtokas and Jeff Foote. Khryapa and Vorontsevich face a strong test against the Lavrinovic twins, Darjus and Ksistof, able to power the boards and pull the trigger from downtown. Coach Joan Plaza can use Mario Delas to open the floor at power forward. Former Zalgiris star Sonny Weems and Vladimir Micov will see most playing time at the wings. Weems provides athleticism, size and range while Micov offers an all-around game complete with one-on-one skills. Meanwhile, Weems must use his size and defensive skills against Rimantas Kaukenas. Zalgiris will be rather short-handed for this duel against CSKA Moscow however due to the recent departure of Tremell Darden to Real Madrid and the recent confirmation that Marko Popovic will not be travelling to Moscow.

CSKA needs to be its usual self in offense, finding three-point shots all the over place and running its offense through Teodosic and Krstic. It also needs a good game from Khryapa, as he can help the team in many ways at both ends. Zalgiris needs a good game from Kuzminskas at both wings, prevent CSKA from running the floor and set a slow tempo through its point guards, Lafayette and McGrath.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Euroleague.net

Game Notes

CSKA MOSCOW

Only four CSKA players – Aaron Jackson, Sasha Kaun, Vladimir Micov and Milos Teodosic – have appeared in every game this season. Coach Ettore Messina has used a total of 11 different players in his starting lineups and 17 players overall this season.

Vladimir Micov has made at least 1 three-pointer in nine straight Euroleague games; he is shooting 17 for 33 (51.5%) from downtown over that stretch.

Sonny Weems made his Euroleague debut last season with Zalgiris Kaunas. He was the team’s leading scorer and helped it to three titles - Baltic League, Lithuanian League and Lithuanian Cup – while playing alongside several current Zalgiris players.

Nenad Krstic has blocked at least 1 shot in six straight Euroleague games.

Krstic had one of his best Euroleague games for CSKA last season against Zalgiris. He amassed 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting and grabbed 7 rebounds in tallying a performance index rating of 33 in a 95-82 victory in November 2011.

Theo Papaloukas needs 1 more three-pointer to reach the century mark for his career.

ZALGIRIS KAUNAS

Marko Popovic has made at least 1 three-pointer in 15 of his last 16 Euroleague games.

Popovic is nearing a place among the competition’s 25 greatest career scorers. He enters this week’s game in 26th place with 1,522 points. Mirsad Turkcan and Michailis Kakiouzos share 24th and 25th place with 1,528 points each.

Popovic played three seasons in Russia for Unics Kazan, where he was a teammate of CSKA players Dmitry Sokolov and Eugeny Voronov. Popovic helped Unics win the 2009 Russian Cup.

Darjus Lavrinovic played for CSKA last season and helped the club reach the Euroleague title game and win the Russian League and VTB United League.

Ksistof Lavrinovic scored 19 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in just 19 minutes to lead Zalgiris to a 76-66 victory over CSKA in October in the VTB United League.

Oliver Lafayette has made at least 1 three-pointer in nine of his last 10 Euroleague games.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

MESSINA, ETTORE

CSKA Moscow

"It will be a very important game for us. We met three times this season and we know that it was always difficult for us to fight them on rebounds and in some special situations. But we will prepare well. We want to continue showing good basketball as we did in previous games and try to win this one."

PLAZA, JOAN

Zalgiris Kaunas

"If you look at the boxscore of the first game you will see that we will miss four players: Jaaber, Jankunas, Darden and Popovic. Marko hasn’t been practicing for the last week because of the injury. So it will be a different game, but if we stay serious we will have some chances against CSKA. It will be difficult, but we will try to deny all the predictions that we gonna lose the game by 40 points. We will give our best and we will see what will happen in the end of the game."

Players

PAPALOUKAS, THEODOROS

CSKA Moscow

"I think the opponents will play relaxed as they don’t feel much pressure. It will be extremely difficult for them to qualify for the playoffs so they will fight for their pride. From the other side we need to win every game if we want to have home-court advantage in the quarterfinals. They gave us hard time in the VTB League game, they have good shooters so we have to be focused and well-prepared."

KUZMINSKAS, MINDAUGAS

Zalgiris Kaunas

"I think this season we have proved that we can play against everybody. One point loss in Madrid or victory in the same Moscow (in VTB United League) shows that. However, it will be even more difficult this time, because Tremmell Darden has left us and Marko Popovic will not be able to play due to the injury. Also CSKA players are really finding their game right now and are favorites to win it all. So, it will be tough, but we aren’t giving up. If we were able to beat CSKA in Moscow once, it can happen again."

CSKA holds off archrival Zalgiris

CSKA Moscow took a crucial step towards locking down a playoffs spot in Top 16 Group E by downing Zalgiris Kaunas 70-61 in the Russian capital on Friday. CSKA improved to 8-3 and can qualify for the playoffs with a road win against Unicaja in the next Game of the Week, regardless of other scores. Zalgiris dropped to 4-7 and is all but mathematically out of chances to advance. Sonny Weems led the winners with 13 points. Viktor Khryapa added 12 and 8 rebounds, while Nenad Krstic just missed a double-double with 9 points and 8 rebounds for CSKA. Rimantas Kaukenas led Zalgiris with 16 points and Oliver Lafayette added 11 for the guests. Back-to-back baskets by Krstic allowed CSKA to get a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. CSKA improved its margin to 35-26 at halftime and a triple by Zoran Erceg made it a 14-point game late in the third quarter. Back-to-back three-pointers by Lafayette sparked a 0-14 run highlighted by Ksistof Lavrinovic's four-point play to tie the game at 48-48 after 30 minutes. Weems and Khryapa struck from downtown in an 8-0 run that put CSKA ahead for good, 61-53. Zalgiris kept trying, but CSKA stayed solid on defense and cruised to a hard-fought, important home win.

First quarter: Krstic, Teodosic put CSKA ahead

Kaukenas got Zalgiris going with his trademark stop-and-pop jumper. CSKA tried twin point guards in its starting lineup so Aaron Jackson could guard Lafayette. Jackson collected a steal and buried a three-pointer for a 3-2 CSKA lead. Teodosic found Sasha Kaun for a slam and a jumper by Mindaugas Kuzminskas kept Zalgiris within 5-4. Kaun split free throws and Teodosic added a driving basket, but Zalgiris kept dominating the game tempo by using long possessions. Jeff Foote dunked, however Kaun matched him with an alley-oop slam that gave CSKA a 10-6 edge. Ksistof Lavrinovic made free throws, but Teodosic did better with a rainbow triple. Foote kept pushing Zalgiris with a basket in the paint as CSKA struggled to score late in the first quarter. Vytenis Lipkevicius took over with a fast break layup, but Nenad Krstic followed a basket inside with a buzzer-beating jumper to give CSKA some fresh air, 17-12, after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: CSKA pulls away

Vladimir Micov split free throws early in the second quarter. Darjus Lavrinovic followed with a fast break slam, which Andrey Vorontsevich erased with an acrobatic basket. Kaukenas buried an open jumper in transition, which Viktor Khryapa matched with a put-back basket that gave CSKA a 22-16 edge. Zalgiris kept missing open shots and a three-pointer by Micov forced Coach Joan Plaza to call timeout at 25-16. Zalgiris improved its defense midway through the second quarter with Robertas Javtokas and Ksistof Lavrinovic together on court. Kuzminskas made free throws, but a three-point play by Weems made it a double-digit game, 28-18. Ksistof Lavrinovic shined with a backdoor layup and a three-pointer by Lafayette gave the guests some hope at 28-23. Jackson answered from downtown, however, and a fast break layup by Krstic caused Zalgiris to stop the game at 33-23. A triple by Kaukenas and a layup by Khryapa fixed the halftime score at 35-26.

Third quarter: Zalgiris storms back with 14 unanswered points

Javtokas sank a hook shot immediately after the break. A huge block by Kaun allowed Weems to bury a three-pointer at the other end to restore a 38-28 CSKA lead. Kaun picked up his third foul, but Krstic came off the bench and immediately delivered with a close jumper. Kaukenas beat the shot clock buzzer with a six-meter shot, which Jackson bettered with a triple from the corner for a 13-points CSKA margin. Papaloukas scored off a steal and Zalgiris called a much-needed timeout at 45-30, after a 10-2 run. Zalgiris tried to open the floor with the Lavrinovic twins together on court. Darjus Lavrinovic scored around the basket and a jumper by Lafayette gave Zalgiris some hope. Zoran Erceg answered from downtown, but back-to-back triples by a red-hot Lafayette brought Zalgiris within single digits, 48-40. Kuzminskas dunked to before CSKA stopped the game at 48-42. Ksistof Lavrinovic provided a highlight with a four-point play and a reverse layup by his brother Darjus capped a 0-14 run which tied the game, 48-48, through three quarters.

Fourth quarter: CSKA breaks away to get another win

Khryapa struck from downtown early in the fourth quarter but Darjus Lavrinovic buried his own three-pointer to tie the game again, 51-51. Micov fed Kaun for a dunk, which Kuzminskas erased with a close basket. Weems joined the three-point shootout and Khryapa downed another one from beyond the arc to give CSKA a 59-53 margin with over 6 minutes to go. Weems scored around the basket to force Zalgiris to call timeout at 61-53, after an 8-0 run. Darjus Lavrinovic stepped up with a layup, Kaun made free throws and a close basket by Micov restored a double-digit CSKA lead, 65-55, with over four minutes left. Krstic split free throws, Kaukenas took over with a backdoor layup and a turnaround jumper by Weems sealed the outcome, 68-57. Zalgiris called timeout and kept trying, but CSKA had already sealed a key home win and its fans had plenty of time to celebrate that their team is a step closer to sealing a ticket to the Euroleague Playoffs!

Head Coaches

MESSINA, ETTORE

CSKA Moscow

"This game became difficult mentally before it even started. After Darden left and Popovic got injured, we were supposed to win for sure. Still we remembered that Zalgiris is a very serious team and it always plays hard. We played very well until we built a 15-point lead. After that we’ve just switched off, started to do a lot of bad things. Fortunately we were able to play organized in the last quarter and I was happy with the next eight minutes. Then again we played not so well in the last two minutes. Hopefully we are able to improve because we obviously have big potential. The one thing I told to the team in the locker room is that if you look at the stats, we are probably the best team in the Euroleague; we have great shooting percentage, we are second to Khimki in assists, we have an excellent index rating. Maybe only Barcelona is better than us statistically. And still we can allow ourselves to play such a bad stretches during the games. At least we know what we should work on – stability."

PLAZA, JOAN

Zalgiris Kaunas

"We should watch the video to say for sure, but I think we played hard and gave our best with so many players missing. We had 16 turnovers and we missed a number of easy shots from under the baskets and you can’t win against CSKA with so many mistakes. But I think we made our fans proud of their team by giving a huge effort. We won one of the quarters and we were close until the last three minutes of the game. I am happy with my team’s effort tonight."

Players

WEEMS, SONNY

CSKA Moscow

"We played as a team and got big win today. We didn’t let them go forward and did everything we wanted to do. In the first half we let them shoot threes. Then just played good defense and made a few key plays and won."

LAFAYETTE, OLIVER

Zalgiris Kaunas

"It was a hard-fought game and a tough loss for us. Now we have no more chances to continue playing in Euroleague. We tried to fight every game. CSKA is a great team, one of the best in Europe. In the fourth quarter they beat us with rebounds and made a couple of big shots."